(From left to right) Correction Officer Kevin Beyer, Deputy Sheriff Shannon Smith, Correction Officer Bryan Stoothoff and SCWA Customer Service Supervisor John Cascione stand with collections from Pharmaceutical Take Back Day event.
The Suffolk County Water Authority, in partnership with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, hosted a Pharmaceutical Take Back Day event on Saturday, November 22 at SCWA’s Customer Contact Center in Hauppauge. The event provided residents from across Suffolk County a safe and convenient opportunity to dispose of unneeded or expired medications and help ensure these substances stay out of our drinking water supply.
“Events like this show what’s possible when we work hand-in-hand with our community,” said SCWA Chief Executive Officer Jeff Szabo. “Properly disposing of unused pharmaceuticals is a simple step residents can take to protect our water resources and we’re proud to support them in doing so.”
When pharmaceuticals are disposed of through landfills or wastewater, they can leach into the aquifer—which can impact drinking water quality. SCWA tests for a wide range of pharmaceuticals and employs treatment systems to remove them before water is delivered to customers. However, it is safer and more cost effective to stop them from entering the aquifer in the first place. Deputies from the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office were on hand to securely collect and manage all materials dropped off throughout the morning.
“As a former SCWA Board member, I am always glad to partner with them on initiatives that keep our communities safe and protects our aquifer,” said Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. “Providing residents with a trusted place to dispose of unwanted medications is essential to protecting both public safety and the environment.”
About SCWA:
The Suffolk County Water Authority is an independent public-benefit corporation operating under the authority of the Public Authorities Law of the State of New York. Serving approximately 1.2 million Suffolk County residents, the Authority operates without taxing power on a not-for-profit basis.